Saturday, April 7th, 1951: We were up really early this morning for there was much to do, and we wanted to be away at daybreak. Our loads had been carefully checked, but there were last-minute things to put in. We planned to return that evening, but in case that was not possible, we had to take things that would enable us to spend the night in the jungle if necessary. Our things were soon loaded into a truck, for we could go out about five miles to the airstrip on fairly good roads by truck. Then we had to head into the jungle where there was little semblance of a road of any kind. It was a clear morning and everything was lovely in the stillness of the early hours. However, it was not long until the sun was blazing down on us, and made us take every opportunity of shade that the jungle offered. We cannot go into details about the trip to the Indian country. We reached there after about five hours, and at last discovered the roundhouse we had seen from the air. Of course it had looked larger from the ground, and as we ap proached, no Indians were to be seen. Soon, however, two young men appeared in the single low entrance to the roundhouse, and by their signs, we understood that they were friendly. It was disappointing to learn that all but «ix of the sixty who lived in this place were out on jungle trails and would not return for several days. However, we made the best of the situation. The young men were quite willing to be photographed, but it was a different story with the women and children who peered out at us from the dark interior of the house. One of the young men brought a blow gun and showed us how they hunt for game. Using a very thin, but sharp-pointed and poison-tipped arrow, he would place it in the gun and blow it out at the speed of a bullet. He was very accurate with it, driving it right through a woven straw basket filled with grain of some kind that was on the ground r. hundred feet away. One of the young men was wearing bead-bands around his arms, which indicated that he was engaged to be married. Around his legs he wore bands woven from the very hair of the girl to whom he was betrothed. No chance of a mix-up there! The converted Indian who went as our guide ex plained this interesting Indian custom to us, even though he could not talk the Indian language used by this group. After a while, we took out the gifts we had brought for them, and our lunch. As we sat around eating sandwiches, we offered some to the two young men. After smelling them all over, and taking them apart carefully, they ate them. The women and children were watching very interestedly from the entrance, so Dr. Talbot took sandwiches in his hand and went near them. After a bit of coaxing by holding out the food for them to see, he was gratified to have the older women run out and grab a sandwich, then dart back in again, like an animal. After this was eaten, all the women and children ran out in turn, snatching the food, and each time hastening back to the shelter of the house. After giving a few presents to the men, we made signs to let them know We would like to go into the house. They led us in, the women and children crouching far back in a corner. It was so dark inside that we could see very little, but by flashlight we could make out the hammocks where they slept and other few items they used scattered around in the dark ness. There were no clothes, as they wear nothing but very brief loin cloths. We did not know how they would react to flash pictures, but we took a few inside and they did not seem to mind. We went outside again and got out some beads. At the sight of them the women and children forgot their shyness and gathered about us, reaching out for them. Looking around, we saw woven baskets in the trees containing their food supply of smoked monkey meat. In exchange for the presents we had given them, they presented us with a smoked monkey arm and hand! We took it back to Caicara with us and photo graphed it, hoping it did not get into the stew we ate that night! The time had come to bid these Indians farewell, so we took our leave of them, hoping and praying that soon some one might go to them, learn their language and tell them of Christ. We merely touched the very edge of the jungle. No Page Ten
one knows how many thousands of these Indians live in the vast region that lies to the south. Our trip home was hotter than ever, and we were a hot, dirty and weary group when we arrived at Caicara that evening. However, we had accom plished our; desire to see and photograph some of these un reached Indians. We pray that the pictures may lead someone to go out and join the gallant few who are trying to get to them as fast as their busy schedules will allow, and that this trip may hasten the day when these too shall hear the glad tidings of the gospel. Sunday, April 8th, 1951: There were five of us and a lot of equipment in Caicara with only a four-seater plane with a total load capacity of 750 pounds to transport us. We decided that we would have to take two trips. So the two pilots and I flew back to Cuidad Bolivar on Sunday and Dr. Talbot stayed for the service in Caicara, and then took advantage of the additional time there to see some of the things that I had seen but which he had missed. We had a rough flight back to Cuidad Bolivar, where I spoke at the evening service in a crowded chapel. A P.A. system was rigged up so the overflow crowd out in the street could hear. This is really a land of opportunity! The people are longing to hear the good news of salvation. Just having come in from the Indian country, I sought to impress upon these Christians their responsibility to reach these lost ones of their own land for Christ. Monday, April 9th, 1951: The MAF plane was off early for one more flight to Caicara to bring back Dr. Talbot and Chuck Olvey. Dr. Talbot had certainly enjoyed the sights of this interesting outpost. Once seeing a great crowd of people going into an enclosure, he followed them, and found himself in the midst of the national sport—cock fighting! Their flight to Cuidad Bolivar was rough too. They were bucking a strong head wind so high that even a climb to 9,000 feet did not bring them out of it. So they went down and took the bumps of this hot jungle air, which are really felt in a small plane. Despite these difficul ties, they came safely into the airport here, so once again we join forces and are ready to head for Brazil. There we will be Adventuring for Christ in the Andes and the Amazon Basin. We are counting upon your daily prayers for us. Wednesday, April 11th, 1951: Today we leave this most interesting work in Venezuela, so we had to get up early for a 6:30 take-off. We said good bye to the Eddings, Olveys, Truxtons, Lowrances, and a host of newly-made Venezuelan Christian friends, feeling as if we had known them all of our lives, for their friendship was very warm indeed. Once again we flew from Cuidad Bolivar on the River Orinoco up to the coast and to the airport eighteen miles down the mountain from Caracas. We were delighted to meet Bill and Marjory Nyman, and found that they were en route to Panama to join the Wycliffe plane flying down to Peru. After a very busy hour of going through exit permit arrangements and other necessary travel for malities, we were flying out over the beautiful blue Car ibbean to the Dutch island of Curacao. What a sight of mod ern industrial development and neat Dutch life, all blended with native and Negro life, met our eyes on this beautiful island! We enjoyed every minute of our seven-hour stay, and then regretfully said good-bye to it, when we boarded a giant Constellation Pan American Clipper to fly back over the jungles and mountains of Venezuela down to the mouth of the Amazon and our next destination, Belem, Brazil. Thursday, April 12th, 1951: Sometime, very early in the morning, we flew over the equator, and it was at about 4 a.m. that we landed in the Belem airport, in a rainstorm the like of which was to be come our usual companion during our stay in the Amazon Valley. We were delighted to see Rev. (’32) and Mrs. ( ’33) J. Keith Altig there with their two fine daughters to meet us. Customs officials did not approve of the amount of film we had with us, but after combined arguments by everyone there, finally we were allowed to take our things out. The Altigs live and work about fifteen miles out of Belem in a T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker